WITH reference to The Press item “Police officers escape retirement axe” (The Press, May 26), it seems common sense has prevailed amid a flurry of cost-cutting exercises within government circles, albeit North Yorkshire in police terms.

When one considers the amount of money spent on training a police officer, it is counter-productive in financial terms and losing valuable experienced police officers.

Apart from training at various police colleges, a probationary police officer gains valuable experience in how to deal with any given situation by an older colleague, much borne out of a common sense approach rather than having to resort to political correctness of filling forms out in triplicate.

As for City of York Council creating a new crime and community safety portfolio at a cost of £14,700 a year, the bobby on the beat, along with the public they serve, can give the council more feedback from the wards they serve than anyone sitting behind an office desk.

Kenneth Bowker, Vesper Walk, Huntington, York.